Internal-combustion engine.



R. M. FRYER INTERNAL COMBUSTION BEGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1910,

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. M. FRYER. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLIGAITION FILED MAR. 4', 1910 P11111111 Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

R. M. FRYER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAEHQ, llO- 1 1 28, 1 25 Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

ROBERT M. FRYER, OF NEW YGRK,

N. ASSIGNOR TO FRANK B.

NEW JERSEY.

COLMAN, OF PASSAIC,

' INTEBNAL-CQIYIBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed March 4, 119.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. Fare-n. a citizen of the United States.residing in the city, county, and State of New York. have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines inwhich a reciprocating piston is actuated in one direction by combustionof an explosive mixture and in the opposite direction by steam generatedwithin the cylinder by direct application to a charge of vaporizablefluid of the heat arising from the explosion.

An object of the invention is to utilize the heat resulting from theexplosion on one side of the piston to generate steam on the oppositeside, thus to avoid the use of a separate steam generating furnace orappa ratus.

A further object is to secure. certainty of action and avoid stoppage ofthe engine. and to this end I provide av plurality of igniting means sothat in case if one fails to operate ignition may be effected by another.

A: further object is to provide an engine in which alternate charges areexploced in separate and independent combustion chambers, so that if onecharge fails to explode the other may ignite to keep the engine inaction and thus also prevent stoppage.

A further object is to'utilize the water employed for steam generationas a cooling and lubricating medium and a preventive of leakage past thepiston.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the parts of the engineas to practically eliminate liability of derangement and to avoid lossof time and labor incidentto repairs and readjustment. .lIlCl a finalobject is toprovidi an. eliicicnt and reliable engine which, by reasonof its compactness and lightness. shall be admirably adapted for use onflying machines operated by metive power.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the natureof the invention is more fully set forth. the same consists of acylinder. a reciprocating piston therein, a plurality of combustionchambers on one side of the piston. means for supplying explosivecharges thereto alternately,

means for igniting said charges, valved passages through the iston foradmission of the products of explosion to the opposite Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915. Serial No. 547,302.

end of the cylinder and means for introducing charges of water into thecylinder on the side of the piston opposite the combustion chambers, allas will be herein described in detail.

in the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention: Figure 1, is acentral vertical section. detail views fully described hereinafter. 7 isa horizontal section on the line T7. F 1. Fig. 8 is a similar section online 8-S. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the annular checkvalves shown in section in Fig. 1. Fig.10 is a plan view of one of thevalve seats. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the exhaust valve and the spiderfor con trolling the same. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the spider whichcontrols the valves shown in l igs. 9 and 10, and Fig. 13 is a plan viewof a rotatable spider frame which is located in the top of the cylinderand which opens the valves of the piston to permit the heated productsof the exploded charges to pass to the steam chamber above the piston.

Referring to the drawings :A designates the cylinder and B thereciprocating piston working therein. The piston is preferably formed intwo parts or plates, as shown in F l, the lower part haying in its upperface two annular and concentric valve chambers N and N and openings orpassages l P leading into the respective chambers wherein valves 0 O arelocated. The head ot the cylinder comprises two plates, as shown thelower one of which has an annular valve chamber S in communication withthe interior of the cylinder through passages U. A valve T in the valvechamber has its seat against the upper plate and controls exhaustpassages therethrough for the escape of the steam and products ofcombustion at the completion of the clown-stroke of the piston. On theupper side of the head 5 is also a central chamber a which is supplied,from any suitable source, with water for steam generating purposes, thewater being introduced into the cylinder, above the piston in regulatedcharges as will be explained presently.

Below the cylinder A is a second cylinder K and within the latter is acylinder K, the two forming between them an annular chamber J opening atthe top into the cyl-- inder A.

Figs. '2, 3. i, 5 and 6 are Connected with the piston 13 and formingpractically a part thereof is 2. depending an nular chamber F having atthe top thereof outlet passages 'or openings G H, controlled by annularvalves G H, and at the bot tom inlet passages F controlled by an annularvalve seated in a valve chamber 1.

Within the cylinder K and spaced apart therefrom is a central cylinder4:0 which forms a carburetor; it has openings at the top controlled byan annular check valve '42. Passages 43 in the walls of the cylinderopen into the chamber 40 at the top, these passages being for thepurpose of conveying hydro-carbon into the carbureter from a suitablesource of supply (not shown) which is to be connected at the bottom. Itmay be stated here that the source of sup ply should be sufficientlyelevated so that the hydro-carbon will be supplied to the carbureter bygravity. The carbureting chamber is partially filled with porous orabsorbent bodies 44, preferably spherical although the shape isimmaterial, which absorb and take up the hydro-carbon as it is deliveredthrough the passages as, these bodies having for their purpose to aid orpromotevolatilization of the hydro-carbon and thus facilitatecarburization of air drawn in through valved inlets 41 as hereinafterdescribed.

The piston rod V], which extends centrally through the carbureter, isbored from the top' to form therein a water chamber 6 which is suppliedwith water from the chamber or reservoir 4 through apipe V which extendsthrough the cylinder head and is capable of reciprocatory movement. Thispipe carries at its upper end, above the cylinder head, the spiderX--Fig. 11which is connected with stems U of annular valve T. Thechamber 6 in the piston rod is of such .depth, and the pipe V is of suchlength, that as the piston approaches the limit of its upward stroke atappet V in the bottom of chamber 6 will strike the end of pipe V andlift the same and the spider X carried thereby, and so seat the valve Tand close the exhaust passages in the cylinder head 5. Near its lowerend the pipe V has a fixed collar 16, so located that as the pistonapproaches the limit of its downward. stroke the spider ZFig. 2 willstrike the collar and pull the pipe and the spider X down ward,unseating the valve T and opening the exhaust passages.

At the lower end of the pipe V is a head 6 which snugly fits the chamber6, and which may be denominated a pumppiston, its ofllce being to pumpwater from the chamber 6 into the cylinder A above piston B. The head 6has passages 6 therethrough controlled by a check valve 6. When piston13 moves upward water is forced through the passages 6' and on thedownward stroke the water so forced through is retained by the checkvalve and is forced out at the top under the spider Z, which spreads itin a thin sheet overthe top of the piston. 4

The spider Y carries two annular series of bosses 14,15 those of oneseries be ing disposed in staggered relation to those of the otherseries, as shown in Fig. 13.

These bosses stand. in the paths of move-" ment of heads Q, Q, of, valvestems O, 0 oi the annular valves 0, O, and when struck by said headsunseat the valves and open the passages controlled thereby to 'permitthe heat and products of the charges exploded in the combustion chamberD E, to pass through the piston to the upper side thereof. Each of thevalves 0 O has six stems at an annular distance of sixty degrees apart(see Figs; 7 and 8) to avoid tilting of the valves, and the stems nf thetwo valves are in the same radial lines. The spider Y is mounted in thetop of the cylinder A adjacent to the head 5, on a rotatable sleeve 12,extending through the head, the sleeve and spider being rotatedstep-bystep through angular distances of thirty degrees .at each step tobring first one series of bosses, and then the other,'into position tooperate the respective valves, 0, O in the manner described.

The means for rotating the sleeve 12 and spider Y comprises a bevel gear11 at the top of the sleeve, a bevel gear 10 mounted at the side of thesleeve and intermeshing with gear 11, a ratchet wheel 8 fixed withrelation to gear 10 and havin twelve teeth, a lever 7 mounted on theaxis'of the gear and ratchet and carrying at one end a pawl 7 the otherend being connected to the spider X by a short rod or link 9 all asshown in Figs. 1, and 3. As the pipe is moved up and down by the tappetV and the spider Z, as already explained, the rod 9 is reciprocated,operating the lever 7 and its pawl, rotating the ratchet wheel, and-withit the bevel gear 10, and this being in gear with gear 11 it followsthat eac h;

or may not, be the same as those control led by the valves 0, O. The

valves R, R, close by steampressure in the upper part of the cylinder toprevent These valves R, R also con- -c through the piston B,whichpassage of steam during the down stroke, but at the completion ofsaid stroke the exhaust valve'T is opened, and the steam charge escapes,whereupon the pressure of the residual steam and products of combustion,which are compressed on the down stroke,,lift the valves and escape tomake room for an explosive charge. This is a most important feature inthe operation of the engine, as will presently be seen.

D, E, are the explosion chambers, one within the other, in which theexplosive charges are exploded-first in one and then in the other.These'tp 'o chambers are of substantially equal capacity, and thecapacity of the two together is substantially equal to that of chamberJ. The combustion chambers D, E, are each provided with a plurality ofelectric sparkers or igniters,

each comprising a spear-shaped head 4:8 sur mounting a rod carried by atube or casing 49 vertically adjustable in the base of the chamber and apair of spaced contact jaws 'lcarried by the piston on its under side.

The said jaws have enlargements at their ends so spaced that they willboth contact with the head as they pass the same'. The jaws 4:7 are ofsuch length that contact with the heads 48 is made just before thepiston reaches the limit of its stroke, and is broken as the limit isreached, thus producing a spark or sparks. The heads e8 will then standbetween the jaws l7, out of contact therewith, as will be readilyunderstood from Fig. 1', then as the lip-stroke begins contact willagain be made and broken,

again producing a spark or sparks. It will now be seen that by providinga plurality of sparkers (five are indicated in the outer chamber in Fig.7) each of which operates at least twice at each stroke, the chances.

of ignition are many times multiplied and the electrical connectionsremains intact' The piston is packed as usual, the packing shown beingof the ordinary three-ring variety for which nothing is claimed. Twooutside expansible rings U are backed by an inner expansible ring which,covcrs both the outer rings, and the inner ring is in turn backed byexpanding coiled springs A The spring action of the packing may besupplemented by pressure applied through passages 3?, extending fromvalve chamber X. The chamber F is provided at its lower end with innerand outer packing of similar character to prevent leakage of gas t'ronichamber J.

The structural features of the engine having now been described adescription of the o 'ieration will be given, as follows :Hydrocarbonhaving been introduced into the carbureting chamber it) through theinlet passages l3, and water supplied to the chamber 0 reservoir 4, fromsuitable sources of supcarbon and air drawn in through the inlets all asalready explained. On the return or down-stroke of the piston theexplosive mixture drawn into the chamber J on the upstroke will becompressed into the receiver F and near the completion of the strokewill pass into one or the other of the explosion chambers D, E, and willbe exploded therein when the sparkers 47-48 contact as above explained,whereupon the piston is driven upward. The engine is now in operation.Supposing now the piston B to be on the up-stroke (Fig. l) as a resultof an explosion in chamber- E, the valve 0 being closed, when the strokeis practically completed the heads Q" of the valve stems O" will strikethe bosses 15 of spider Y, the valve will be unseated, the heat andproducts of the exploded charge will pass through the piston to theupper side thereof, the tappet V will strike the end of pipe and liftthe same and force a charge of water under the spider into the hot gasesand products of explosion, the water will be converted into steam, thepressure of which will seat the check valves R, R, and drive the pistondown. Also, during the upstroke of the piston a charge of explosive withthe next tooth of ratchet wheel 3 pre paratory to a movement of spider Yto bring the bosses 14 thereof into operative position when the spider Zstrikes the collar ll) on pipe on the down-stroke. Now, during thedown-stroke (the valve 0' being still open) the cxplok-iive mixture inchamber J, held against back low by, the check valve 42. is conu-n'esscdinto the receiving chamber l and since the chamber .l, is much largerthan the chamber l? (by preference, at least three times as large) thevolume of the mixture compressed into chamber 1 is much reduced and thepressure correspond ingly increased. Now it is to be noted that on theprevious upstroke the pressure of the driving charge in chamber E heldthe valve G closed, and that there being at such time no pressure on thevalve H the latter was lifted by the pressure in chamber F and a chargefor the next lip-stroke expanded into the chamber D, such charge beingcompressed during the down-stroke and ignited at the completion thereof,and now, on the resulting lip-stroke the operation is reversed thepressure in chamber D holds the valve H to its seat, the mixturecompressed into the chamber F on the last down-stroke lifts the valve Gand expands into chamber E to be compressed and ignited on thedownstroke, as before. It is to be noted that whichever of the valves 0or O is opened on the up-stroke is closed by the lifting of spider Z at,ornea-r. the completion of the down-stroke, and that both valves (0, andO) are closed at the. beginning of the upstroke, so that there may be noescape of explosive mixture. It will of course be understood that thecylinder, after a few. explosions, becomes'highly heated and that inconsequence the water in the chamber or reservoir 4, from which theengine is supplied, will also be heated and that its con version intosteam will thereby greatly Facilitated.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is- 1. A'combined internal combustion and steamengine, comprisin a cylinder, a piston therein, means for introducing anexplosive or combustible mixture on one side of the piston, means forintroducing a steaitn producing liquid or fluid on the other side oi thepiston, the said piston having a valve-controlled passage therethrough.for

v the passage of the products of combustion or explosion from one sideto the other.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a cylindrical pistonhaving an an nular projer on on the outer side, under uhich an e plosionchamber is located, forming a combustion chamber therein. means forintroducing an explosive or eombustible mixture thereinto, means forintroducing a steam producing liquid into the cylinder on the other sideof the piston, the said piston having a valve-controlled passagetherethrough for the passage of the .products of combustion or explosionfrom one side to the other.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder embracingcombinedexplosion and steam generating chambers, a piston separatingtho saidchambers, means for supplyii'ig an explosive charge to the ex plosionchamber, means for directing the exploded charge, or products ofcombustion, to the steam generating chamber and means for supplyingwater to the latter chamber.

l. An internal combustion engine comrising a g: lur:-.lity oiimlepcmlontly operable explosion clmmbcrs. our within the other, a flashsteam generating clmmber, a piston, the head of which separates the saidcombustion chambers from the steam generating chamber, the body of thepiston constituting one of the explosion chambers, means forestablishing alternate communication between the respective explosionchambers and the steam generating chamher, and means for supplying waterto the latter chamber.

5. An internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of independentlyoperable explosion chambers, one within the other, a flash steamgenerating chamber, a piston. between the-."combustion and steamgenerating chambers and constituting one of the coinlmstion chambers,means for establishing alternate communication between the respectiveexplosion chambers and the steam generating chamber, and means actuatedby the piston for supplying water to the latter chamber.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder divided. into aplurality of charm hers, one of whicl constitutes a-steam generatingchamber and the others explosion chambers, piston separating the twoseries '01" chambers, means -for supplying an explosive mixture to theexplosion chambers, means for directing the exploded charge to the steamgenerating chamber, the upper surface of piston constituting a water eaporator.

7.. in an internal combustion engine, an inverted, or open-bottomedcylindrical pis ton, in con iunction with. an inner and an outercylinder disposed beneath a cylinder within which the said cylindricalpiston ,opcrates, the arrangement providing beneath, the said pistonhead a plurality of explosion or combustion chambers through thedivision of the surface below the piston head, so as to constitute anannular and a central combustion chamber, by the cylindrical portion ofthe piston, annularly situated between the said combustion chambers, asshown.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a second cylinderdisposed concentric thereto, a cylindrical piston with head of greaterdiameter, providing a plulality of combustion chambers underneath thesame, one inside and the other outside of the said cylindrical pistonworking between the said cylinders. and means for supplying carburctedair to the combustion chambers.

9. In an internal co cylinder, a second cyl' tric thereto and 'promdinga plurality f combustion chambe hrough means of b cylindrical piston noting between the said oustion engine, a

retcd air to the c lll. In an int cylinder, an ope with inlet val rdisposed concen- Ill,

cylinders, and means tor supplying carbu- I amazes spacewherein itreciprocates, with gas, and

upon its down-stroke, forces this gas into the hollow space of'the saidannular plunger, from whence it is delivered alternately, to thecombustion chambers, one inside and the other outside of the cylindricalpiston, be-

low the head thereof, and means to receive,

and to deliver under pressure the desired gaseous bodies thereinemployed, through the action or reciprocation of the said piston whereinvalve chambers andt corresponding valves, for the conduction andregulation of the gases from combustion chambers are located, as shown.

12. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, the upper portion ofwhich constitutes the steam generating chamber and the lower portion acombustion chamber, a piston in the said cylinder in the head of whichpiston, valves and corresponding valve chambers are arranged, the pistonbeing provided with communicating openings between the combustion andsteam generating chambers. r

13. In an internal combustion engine, a. cylinder embodying a steamgenerating chamber and a combustion chamber, a piston dividing the saidchambers, a valve or valves in the said piston for controllingcommunication between the combustion and steam generating chambers, andmeans for seating the valves comprising a spider frame through the armsof'which the valve stems project, which valve stems are provided withbosses at the top to be engaged by arms of the spider frame, and a rodprovided with a collar to engage with the under side of the said spiderframe to hold the latter at rest during a period of the downward strokeof the piston, thus to seat the valves.

1 4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder constituting a steamgenerating chamber and a combustion chamber, an open-bottom cylindricalpiston, producing a plurality of explosion chambers below the headthereof, valves for controlling communication between the combustion andsteam generating chambers, means for seating the valves comprising aspider frame supported on'the piston and through which the stems of thevalves project, the latter being provided with bosses or lugs, to beengaged by the spider frame, a rod provided with a collar to engage withthe under side of the spider frame to hold the latter at rest during aperiod in the descent of the piston, thus to seat the valves, and meansfor alternately opening the valves comprising aspider frame arrangedbeneath the cylinder head and provided with two series of downwardextending bosses arranged alternately to engage with the lugs or bossesof the valve stems, and means to impart a step by step motion to thelast named spider frame, whereby, each alternate stroke of the pistonwill cause the same valve to be opened.

15. In an internal combustion engine, a

cylinder embodying a flash steam generating chamber and a combustionchamber, an inverted or open-bottom cylindrical piston, embodying aplurality of explosion chambers, valves in the piston for controllingpassage between the combustion and steam generating chambers, a spiderframe disposed above the piston and through which the stems of thevalves project, the latter being provided with bosses to be-engaged bythe spider frame, a piston rod provided with a well, means for supplyingwater to the well comprising a hollow rod communicating with a source ofwater supply, a ported piston carried by the lower portion of the rodand operating in the well, a by-pas's valve loose on the rod andnormally closing the piston ports, and means for retarding movement ofthe spider frame on the down ward stroke of the piston to seat the mainpiston valve comprising a collar rigid with the rod with whichthe underside of spider frame contacts 16. In an internal combustion engine, acylinder embodying a steam generating and a combustion chamber, aninverted or openbottom cylindrical piston, below the head of which aplurality of explosion chambers are located, one being inside of thesaid piston, valves carried by the piston for controlling communicationbetween the combustion and steam generating chambers, stems carried bythe valves, a spider frame supported by the piston and through which thestems project, lugs or bosses carried by the upper ends of the valvestems to retain them in operative connection with the arms of the spiderframe, a piston rod provided with a well the open end of which iscovered by the spider frame, means for supplying water piston, wherebyon the upward stroke of the main piston, water is forced above thebypass valve and on its downward stroke the water is caused to lift thespider frame suthciently to permit a thin sheet of water to bedischarged laterally within the steam gen erating chamber where it ismet by the highly heated products of combustion and flashed into steam,and means for retarding the movement of the spider frame on the downwardstroke of the main piston to seat the valve carried thereby, comprisinga collar rigid with the hollow rod and with which the center of spiderframe contacts.

17. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder the upper part of whichconstitutes a steam generating chamber and the lower portion, below thepiston head, answers for a combustion or explosion chamber, a sec- 0ndcylinder forming a base for the first, a third cylinder within thesecond concentric therewith, an annular space between the latter namedcylinders constitutinga pneumatic pump chamber, a fourth cylinderlocated within the third and constituting the carbureting chamberprovided with an an nular check valve, open-bottom cylindrical pistonwith annular chamber within and with valves opening thereto andtherefrom while acting as an annulanpump plunger in said annular spacebetween the second and third cylinders, communication being messes hadthrough. the wall of the third cylinder and passage surrounding thecarburetor with annular valie thereon, means for admitting air to thecarbureter from below and for supplying hydrocarbonaceous liquid fuel tothe carbureter from or near the top and means within the carbureter toeffect progressive and rapid evaporation of such fuel from heavier tolighter, drawing the gases in, through and from the carbureter by theaction of the piston and in turn forcing the same within the storagechamber and delivering them therefrom, through valves thereon provided,to the combustion chambers as shown and described.

18. In an internal combustion engine comprising a plurality ofindependently operable combustion chambers, a steam generating chamber,a piston constituting one of the combustion chambers, means forestablishing alternate communication between the combustion and thesteam generating chambers, independently operable sparkers or ignitersin the combustion chambers, and means for supplying water to the steamgenerating chamber in regulated impulses.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand, in presence of twowitnesses.

M ROBERT M. FRYER.

Witnesses FRANK Bran COLMAN, Mania L, Firm).

